200,000 More Jews Herded into Labor Camps in Poland Following New Raids

June 21, 1942

ZURICH (Jun. 19)

Mass raids on Jewish residences are reported today to be taking place throughout Nazi-held Poland for the purpose of rounding-up Jews and sending them to forced labor camps where they are compelled to work at difficult jobs under inhuman conditions.

The report says that more than 200,000 Polish Jews have recently been herded into thirty-seven “Jewish” labor camps. Of them, twelve were opened only last week, including two in the Baranovici district, where the Jews are compelled to work at draining the Pinsk swamps.

The raids are taking place not only in the ghettos but also in small towns and villages. The largest Jewish labor camp is located near Belzyce, where 12,000 Jews are concentrated.

NAZIS APPOINT 3,000 UKRAINIANS TO GUARD JEWISH SLAVE CAMPS

A staff of 3,000 Ukrainians trained in special Nazis schools has been organized to serve as guards in the Jewish labor camps. The training of Ukrainians for this task continues in Lwow.

The announcement that more Jews will soon be transported to the ghetto which the Nazi authorities have established on the outskirts of Lublin was made this week by Hans Frank, Nazi Governor for Poland, following a “visit” he made to the ghetto, to where all the Jews of Lublin have been expelled. The German newspapers, in publishing this announcement, reveal that in addition to the Lublin Jews, many Jews from Austria and Slovakia have already been confined there. Dr. Frank expressed his satisfaction at the “order and sanitary conditions” which he found in the ghetto during his inspection, the German newspapers report.

Nazi censors in the Warsaw ghetto are prohibiting Jewish performances which suggest hope for better times and deliverance from slavery, a report reaching here from Poland informs. The report says that there are at present five Yiddish and one Hebrew theatre in the ghetto. They are permitted to present performances during the day only and not more than twice a week. Their program is composed mostly of historical and biblical plays.